41 research outputs found
Memórias médicas sobre as águas termais brasileiras e européias entre 1902 e 1950: relatos de viagem e apropriação do meio natural.
A água termal e sulfurosa, conhecida popularmente como água medicinal, investigada e estudada a partir do ponto de vista historiográfico no Brasil é tema muito recente. Entretanto, na área médica seus estudos remontam desde meados do século XIX e primeiras décadas do século XX. A proposta desse artigo é apresentar a relação histórica estabelecida entre natureza, trabalho e memória nos espaços de sociabilidade que foram construídos e reformulados para a emergência de uma classe burguesa no Brasil nas primeiras décadas do século passado. Sendo assim, dessa relação de proximidade do meio natural ajustado às inovações urbanísticas e arquitetônicas das cidades termais, seleciono para apresentação algumas memórias de médicos que estiveram envolvidos no processo de ajustamento do meio natural ao propósito de construção de cidades balneárias no Brasil até os anos de 1950. Particularmente, a apresentação será voltada para o diário do Dr. Pedro Sanches de Lemos escrito em 1902 e na primeira publicação da Comissão Permanente de Crenologia, órgão vinculado ao Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral, em 1950. Dos relatos analisados pretendo apresentar mudanças, permanências e interseções nessa relação construída historicamente a partir do contato do homem com esse tipo específico de água considerada medicinal
A interferência de cobre na melanogênese de Cryptococcus neoformans
Melanin is a pigment produced by laccase, a phenoloxydase enzyme, and is related to the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans as it is also considered an adaption mechanism to environmental conditions and protection against UV radiation, phagocytic system attack and antifungal drugs. Laccase synthesis is stimulated by several factors, including copper metabolism. The current study shows C. neoformans strains with higher melanization intensity when grown in L-dopa medium supplemented with different concentrations of copper sulfate. This increase shows that melanization rates may be enhanced in the presence of copper ions and may also enhance the virulence of C. neoformans in infected patients that present increasing copper concentrations in serum, such as those with HIV. The virulence of these strains may also be increased in the environment, where this metal is available as CuSO4 in algicidal and fungicidal compounds.A melanina é um pigmento produzido pela enzima lacase, uma fenoloxidase, e está associada à virulência de Cryptococcus neoformans sendo considerada mecanismo de adaptação à s condições ambientais e proteção contra a radiação UV, ataque do sistema fagocÃtico e antifúngicos. A lacase tem sua sÃntese estimulada por diversos fatores, incluindo o metabolismo de cobre. Este estudo mostra linhagens de C. neoformans com maior intensidade de melanização quando cultivadas em meio L-dopa suplementado com diferentes concentrações de sulfato de cobre. Este aumento demonstra que as taxas de melanização podem ser aumentadas na presença de Ãons cobre e também aumentar a virulência de C. neoformans em pacientes infectados que apresentam aumento nas concentrações séricas de Ãons cobre tais como pacientes com HIV. A virulência destas linhagens também pode ser incrementada no meio ambiente, onde este metal está disponÃvel como CuSO4 em compostos algicidas e fungicidas
One Year of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Brazil: A Political and Social Overview
Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) became the deadliest pandemic of the new millennium. One year after it became a pandemic, the current COVID-19 situation in Brazil is an example of how the impacts of a pandemic are beyond health outcomes and how health, social, and political actions are intertwined. Objectives: We aimed to provide an overview of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, from a social and political point of view, and to discuss the perspectives from now on. Methods: This is a narrative review using official, scientific (PubMed, Medline, and SciELO databases) and publicly available data. Press articles were also used that contain important information not found in these databases. Findings: We address the impacts of COVID-19 in different regions of Brazil, on indigenous populations, health care workers, and how internal social contrasts impacted the pandemic’s advance across the country. We also discuss key points that culminated in the country’s failed management of the COVID-19 spread, such as poor management of the public health care system, disparities between public and private health care infrastructure, lack of mass testing and viral spread tracking, lack of preparedness and planning to implement strict isolation and social distancing measures, and, most importantly, political instability, a deteriorating Health Ministry and sabotaging attitudes of the country’s president, including anti-scientific actions, underplaying COVID-19 severity, spreading and powering fake news about the pandemic, promoting knowingly inefficient medications for COVID-19 treatment, and interference in collective health policies, including the country’s vaccination plan. Conclusions: After one year of COVID-19 and a disastrous management of the disease, Brazil has more than 11 million cases, 270,000 deaths, and the highest number of daily deaths due to COVID-19 in the world, most of which could have been avoided and can be credited to negligence of municipal, state, and federal authorities, especially President Jair Messias Bolsonaro. Unfortunately, the country is an example of what not to do in a pandemic setting. Key Points: One year after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Brazil had the second higher number of cases and deaths, and the highest number of daily deaths due to the disease. Lack of massive testing, non-stringent and ineffective collective health policies, poor management of the public health care system, and political instability were the main drivers of the country’s flawed management of the COVID-19 advancement. Anti-science and sabotaging actions by government had a pivotal role in the country’s current situation. Brazil has a large territory and is marked by social contrasts among different regions and states, which showed contrasting data regarding the impact caused by COVID-19. COVID-19 databases and data sharing are important to provide an overview of epidemiological aspects of the disease; however, Brazil lacks standardization in these datasets
Export of functional Streptomyces coelicolor alditol oxidase to the periplasm or cell surface of Escherichia coli and its application in whole-cell biocatalysis
Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) alditol oxidase (AldO) is a soluble monomeric flavoprotein in which the flavin cofactor is covalently linked to the polypeptide chain. AldO displays high reactivity towards different polyols such as xylitol and sorbitol. These characteristics make AldO industrially relevant, but full biotechnological exploitation of this enzyme is at present restricted by laborious and costly purification steps. To eliminate the need for enzyme purification, this study describes a whole-cell AldO biocatalyst system. To this end, we have directed AldO to the periplasm or cell surface of Escherichia coli. For periplasmic export, AldO was fused to endogenous E. coli signal sequences known to direct their passenger proteins into the SecB, signal recognition particle (SRP), or Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway. In addition, AldO was fused to an ice nucleation protein (INP)-based anchoring motif for surface display. The results show that Tat-exported AldO and INP-surface-displayed AldO are active. The Tat-based system was successfully employed in converting xylitol by whole cells, whereas the use of the INP-based system was most likely restricted by lipopolysaccharide LPS in wild-type cells. It is anticipated that these whole-cell systems will be a valuable tool for further biological and industrial exploitation of AldO and other cofactor-containing enzymes.
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Safety, Tolerability, and Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Inhalation in Cystic Fibrosis.
BACKGROUND:Among the many consequences of loss of CFTR protein function, a significant reduction of the secretion of bicarbonate (HCO3-) in cystic fibrosis (CF) is a major pathogenic feature. Loss of HCO3- leads to abnormally low pH and impaired mucus clearance in airways and other exocrine organs, which suggests that NaHCO3 inhalation may be a low-cost, easily accessible therapy for CF. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effects of inhaled aerosols of NaHCO3 solutions (4.2% and 8.4%). METHODS:An experimental, prospective, open-label, pilot, clinical study was conducted with 12 CF volunteer participants over 18 years of age with bronchiectasis and pulmonary functions classified as mildly to severely depressed. Sputum rheology, pH, and microbiology were examined as well as spirometry, exercise performance, quality-of-life assessments, dyspnea, blood count, and venous blood gas levels. RESULTS:Sputum pH increased immediately after inhalation of NaHCO3 at each clinical visit and was inversely correlated with rheology when all parameters were evaluated: [G' (elasticity of the mucus) = - 0.241; G″ (viscosity of the mucus) = - 0.287; G* (viscoelasticity of the mucus) = - 0.275]. G* and G' were slightly correlated with peak flow, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and quality of life; G″ was correlated with quality of life; sputum pH was correlated with oxygen consumption (VO2) and vitality score in quality of life. No changes were observed in blood count, venous blood gas, respiratory rate, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (SpO2), body temperature, or incidence of dyspnea. No adverse events associated with the study were observed. CONCLUSION:Nebulized NaHCO3 inhalation appears to be a safe and well tolerated potential therapeutic agent in the management of CF. Nebulized NaHCO3 inhalation temporarily elevates airway liquid pH and reduces sputum viscosity and viscoelasticity
O TERMALISMO NO BRASIL: HISTÓRIA, CIÊNCIA E MEMÓRIA ENTRE 1839 E 1950.
This study aimed to historically narratehowcertain eventshave contributed tothe onsetand development ofthermalpracticesin Brazil.Someof the firstandmost important stepsof the medicalhydrology will be presented: from theconstitution of hidrology(latercrenology) of the late 19th century tothe 1950sin Brazil.Throughout the textit will be possibleto understand somespecific forms ofhumanexperiences withthermal waterthatwere only possiblethanks toscientific knowledgesettled ineach periodof that history.Objetivou-se narrar historicamente de que modo determinados eventos contribuÃram para o inÃcio e o desenvolvimento das práticas termais no Brasil. Serão apresentadas algumas das primeiras e mais importantes etapas da constituição da história da hidrologia médica (e posterior crenologia) do final do século XIX até os anos de 1950 no território brasileiro. Ao longo do texto será possÃvel compreender algumas formas especÃficas de apreensão de determinadas experiências humanas com a água termal que só foram possÃveis graças aos conhecimentos cientÃficos que se estabeleceram em cada perÃodo dessa história
Pleasure villégiature and the bourgeoisie culture formation in Poços de Caldas spring water spa city between 1930s and 1940s
Orientador: Edgar Salvadori de DeccaTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências HumanasResumo: Na década de 30, em nosso paÃs, uma nova cultura burguesa começava a se afirmar no centro de um espaço balneário que havia sido projetado em meados dos anos de 1920 na Europa a pedido do governo mineiro que almejava transformar Poços de Caldas na primeira cidade balneária do Brasil. Em 1931 as três grandes obras que haviam sido pensadas e construÃdas por uma comissão renomada de médicos, engenheiros e arquitetos apareciam no cenário nacional e internacional como sÃmbolos de um lugar civilizado e moderno que representava realmente a novidade de Poços de Caldas como a primeira cidade balneária da América Latina. No entanto, faltava-lhe ainda a alta frequência de visitantes que desde o final do século XIX já movimentava as cidades balneárias europeias. Esta tese, portanto, é a investigação histórica a partir da leitura da imprensa local e de revistas e periódicos de circulação nacional que nos possibilitaram compreender o modo como foi sendo construÃdo no imaginário social o inÃcio de uma cultura burguesa que precisou aprender os novos usos do espaço balneário e da água termal para firmar-se como um novo grupo (posteriormente desejado e copiado) que instituiu novos comportamentos diante de um processo civilizador das águas quentes em nosso paÃs que consequentemente contribuiu para a ocorrência de novos desejos na elite brasileira. Estes desejos que instituÃram a prática da vilegiatura de repouso já no inÃcio da década de 30 e a sua consequente transformação na atividade organizada do turismo foram também elementos primordiais para o deslocamento destas mesmas pessoas que já nos anos quarenta atribuÃram valores a novos comportamentos que com o tempo foram contribuindo gradativamente para o enfraquecimento deste tipo de cidade balneária na história moderna das viagens por prazer em nosso paÃsAbstract: During the 1930s, in our country, a new bourgeoisie culture was being settled in the heart of a spring water spa venue that had been designed in the mid-1920s in Europe as a request from Minas Gerais government which aimed to change Poços de Caldas into the first spring water spa city in Brazil. In 1931 three large buildings, that had been designed and built by a commission of well-known doctors, engineers and architects, would be displayed in the national and international scenery as symbols of a civilized and modern place which really represented the following novelty: Poços de Caldas as the first spring water spa city in Latin America. However, the visitors¿ frequency was not as high as the one which made the European spring water cities so lively since the end of the 19th century. This doctoral thesis, therefore, is a historical investigation based on the reading of local press as well as magazines and newspapers with national distribution that allowed us to understand how it was being built in the social imaginary the beginning of a bourgeoisie culture which needed to learn the new ways to use the spring water spa venues to establish themselves as a new group (later desired and copied) that created new behaviors before a hot water civilizatory process in our country which, therefore, contributed to the appearance of new desires in Brazilian elite. Those desires which established the rest villégiature practice in the early 1930s and its transformation into an organized touristic activity were also main factors to the movement of those people who, already in the 1940s, started valuing new behaviors which were later gradually contributing to the weakening of that kind of spring water spa city in the modern history of leisure travel in our countryDoutoradoPolitica, Memoria e CidadeDoutora em HistóriaFAPES
The termal spa town : the science of the water and modern sociability between 1839 to 1931
Orientador: Edgar Salvadori De DeccaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciencias HumanasResumo: Esta dissertação analisa a origem das cidades hidrominerais brasileiras tomando como referência o processo de construção simbólico de suas águas medicinais atrelado à emergência e experiência da sociabilidade moderna em nosso paÃs. Partindo do primeiro estabelecimento termal construÃdo na América Latina no ano de 1931, na cidade de Poços de Caldas, sul do estado de Minas Gerais, buscou-se compreender o envolvimento e distanciamento do homem com relação à s suas próprias emoções frente ao meio natural. Foi, portanto, através de uma visão muito particular centrada na teoria do processo civilizador de Norbert Elias, que a água quente e sulfurosa foi transformada em objeto de estudo histórico nesse trabalho. Buscou-se compreendê-la como forte processo civilizador na construção de cidades e também como instrumento direto de condicionamento e modelação de adaptação do indivÃduo a modos especÃficos de comportamento, em um tempo-espaço onde ela tornouse elemento centralAbstract: This dissertation analyses the origin of the Brazilian thermal spa towns having as reference the symbolic process of medicinal water linked to the emergence and the experience of modern sociability in our country. Starting with the first thermal spa place built in Latin America in 1931,in the town of Poços de Caldas, in the south of Minas Gerais, seeking to understand the involvement and distancing of men in relation to their own emotions toward the natural environment. It has been, therefore, through a very peculiar vision centered in the theory of the civilizing process of Norbert Elias ,that the hot springs were transformed into the object of historical study in this paper. With the objective of understanding them as a great civilizing process in the construction of towns as well as a direct way of conditioning and modeling of adaptation of the individual to specific ways of behaving ,in a time-space where they have become the central elementMestradoPolitica, Memoria e CidadeMestre em Históri
Serum Antibodies To Pseudomonas Aeruginosa In Cystic Fibrosis As A Diagnostic Tool: A Systematic Review.
A systematic literature review of the last 40 years on the research of serum antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis and its utility as a diagnostic tool. Research papers in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were accessed through electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, LILACS, and SciELO). 26 studies were assessed. ELISA technique was the most commonly used technique to detect serum P. aeruginosa antibodies. The most consistent results were those in which the response against the antigen St-Ag:1-17 was evaluated. The accuracy levels of the ELISA technique remain controversial, but most studies showed a good correlation between antibody titers and microbiological culture. The detection of serum antibodies to P. aeruginosa shows capacity for early detection of this pathogen and potential utility and viability of incorporation in the diagnostic routine of patients with cystic fibrosis.13499-50